From: Communications

Sent: Monday 8 April 2019 11:16

To: Communications

Subject: Our GAA Manifesto

A chara,

Today we launch our new GAA Manifesto, a celebration of our GAA – of our shared values and of all the people who make our GAA what it is.

The first manifestos were unveiled today at St Colmcille’s in Bettystown, Co Meath in both Irish and English, and a copy will be
distributed to every club around the globe.

It is an affirmation of our GAA mission, vision and values, regardless of your role within the organisation, and is
built around the statement: ‘GAA – Where We All Belong’ / CLG – Tá Áit Dúinn Uilig Ann’.

Based on feedback we sought from more than 8,000 people, this research revealed that the sense of belonging the GAA gives
is of utmost importance to them.

We are asking you to help us give it visibility in your Clubs, by proudly displaying it in your clubhouses and dressing rooms,
posting it on your websites and by engaging with it on both your club’s social media channels as well as your own. Attached you’ll
find the files and guidelines to help you do this.

The GAA Manifesto and all that it stands for, will be brought to life in the coming months on our television screens, in print,
on social media and crucially by you in our clubhouses right across the GAA network.

The campaign will feature members performing the duties and doing the things they do that provide the energy that fuels the
GAA as a movement and a positive force in Irish life and beyond.

We hope the manifesto and the activity supporting it resonates with you as a GAA volunteer and we look forward to connecting
with as many of our members as possible.

Special mention to Neil Walsh for his tireless efforts dealing with suppliers, taking orders and being a one man band regarded any gear requests.

Please click the link on the left to launch

Please find the updated list of fixtures for the U12 Gaelic Football Leagues. Following the release of the master fixture list, Clondegad requested a change from the Brian O Reilly league to the Michael Green League. This amendment has resulted in a change in terms of the master schedule for each group except for the Dan O Halloran league.

Please click the link to launch

Please click the link to launch

Fixtures have been released for the U12 Football 2019, here Ballyvaughan-Fanore will assist St Breckan's in two competitions, Georgie Fitzpatrick League and the
Michael Greene League.
Attached are the fixtures in .pdf form so the can be downloaded and printed.

Please click the link to launch

Please click the link to launch

Clare Gaa Pass for 2019. (06-03-2019)

Here is a notice from Padraig Mac Gearailt, Runaí C.L.G. Coiste Chontae An Chláir. Clare G.A.A. are offering
Patrons a pass for 2019 to all our games under the jurisdiction of C.L.G. Coiste Chontae An Chláir.
The cost of same will be €125.00 per pass.

They can be purchased by contacting Clareabbey, Clarecastle offices on 065-6821072 between 9am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could pass on this information as soon as possible to all G.A.A. patrons in your parish.

Here written is a tribute to Mattie Bermingham (Mathúin Mac Fheorais): RIP January 2019

Principal of St. John's National School, Ballyvaughan; (1958-1966)

Our teacher arrived to Ballyvaughan primary school during the autumn of 1958; receiving accommodation through Mrs. Susan Carey who resided on the main street. During the following eight years he took an active interest, not alone in education; but in social, sporting and linguistic aspects of his adopted community. Mattie / Mathúin was a native of Ballykett, close to the town of Kilrush.

Black Morris Minor:

While his ability to impart knowledge of various topics to students was evident within the classroom, he also impacted dramatically on the limited social outlets in the late 1950's; through his organisation of the under 14 school hurling team which continued to provide necessary diversion during the months leading up to the summer holidays; with his transmission of hurling skills taking place at the former workhouse field, following his classroom duties. Transport to matches for the school hurling teams was provided through the Master's black Morris-Minor and Seán Colley's well-known Ford (IY 8388). Sometimes people wonder how enthusiasm for sports is transmitted from one generation to the next? As just two cars were available to transport the local school hurling team, the teacher's car would head towards Corkscrew hill; with at least eight teenagers on board and a set of hurls in the boot. The black Morris-Minor was then reversed at Paddy Connolly's bend, and it remained in that mode until it reached the national school; located at the top of Corkscrew hill. Postgraduate students in 2019 write theses about generation-gaps and the difficulty with transmission from previous generations to the current teenage-group who are usually immersed within the wonders of social-media. The demands of those Corkscrew journeys in the black Morris-Minor ensured there was no opportunity for a generation gap to develop, as all on board were immersed in the enthusiasm and expectation of their upcoming hurling-match.

Corn na Bóirne - Burren Cup:

The Múinteoir Scoile later progressed to donating a cup for the best North Clare school football-team. Michael Cusacks' of Carron were the regular winners of that competition, with the final game played at Seán Colley's (Collins) Lawn over at Newtown, with the winning team receiving Corn na Bóirne from the Master himself.

Mattie became part of a local group who invited the ferry boat, Galway Bay to transport interested passengers from County Clare to the Aran islands on Sunday summer-excursions from Ballyvaughan (new pier) to Kilronan on the large island from 1965.

General Education; Radio Goleen - 1960's:

Such innovation was not confined to the Master himself; his infectious enthusiasm was transmitted to one of his pupils, Gerry Wallace of Low Street, Ballyvaughan. From 4.00pm each afternoon, Gerry and his friends began transmitting Radio Goleen from their 'studio' located at Low Street, to the wider Galway bay area. Records (LPs) such as those received from Ben Dolan (Salthill, Galway), an older brother of Joe Dolan; then a Mullingar teenager, could be heard across the airwaves on both sides of Galway Bay, as a teenage audience discarded their school-books and exercises for the following day; to tune into their own

Radio Goleen/Ballyvaughan!

Further educational outlets were provided when Clare Vocational Education Committee (CVEC) under the late Kevin Jennings, opened a branch of Clare VEC at the Old School on the Galway road; as well as at OLochlainn's 'hotel'. The list of VEC teachers of 1965 included a Miss Brassil and Mr. MacMenamin (Donegal). Mattie was instrumental in setting up a vegetable co-operative across from the local church (Medical Centre today) which collected and distributed locally produced vegetables, from various parts of Counties Clare and Galway. One of the primary supporters of this innovation was the late Joe Kerin who was then recently returned from Cambridge, England, before taking up his employment at the vegetable co-operative; which was supported by a Dublin based group, known as Dóchas.

Gleninagh Gaeltacht:

While our teacher was greatly interested with improving the welfare of his adopted community, he had a particular 'grá' for those from the Gleninagh community, located on the road to Black Head. During the late 1950's the road to Black Head was tar-mac-adamed for the first time, providing easier access for the teacher to visit Tom ODonoghue, Tom Beag (Burns) and Tomáseen Irwin, where he conversed in Gaelic with the remaining fragments of the former Gaeltacht district, which had been supported economically through the local fishing community of Gleninagh.

While the early 1960's are usually characterized by the arrival of television to Ireland, as well as the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, an individual within North Clare continued to share his talents with the local community. During hymn singing sessions at the local church, Mattie's confident voice was clearly heard above others; so that local-calm was experienced during a time of international crisis. Mattie was missed by many individuals in the North Clare area, when he departed for Dublin in 1966 to take up his new position of School's Inspector.

Gaelic Matters Continued:

He continued his interest in Gaelic matters and was particularly proud, when his son-in-law, Brian Lohan received a Celtic Cross at Croke Park in Sepember 1995 and a second one in September 1997.

Mattie visited County Clare in December 2012 to attend the launch of his publication on The Hurlers of Kilfenora and Kilmacduagh at the Auburn Lodge, Ennis in the company of his friend, Brother Seán MacConmara and was overjoyed to see Clare receive the MacCarthy Cup in September 2013.